It’s been said that Jamaica is the land of wood and water and the same could be said about Promise as, the island’s latest addition to the luxury villa rental market. Located on two acres of seafront land in Prospect, St Ann, Promiseas comprises of two, 4-bedroom, high end villas, two infinity edge swimming pools and hot tubs, a tennis court, a gym, a sea pool and a private beach. Like Jamaica, the villas at Promiseas are inspired by and made up of wood and water. These two elements are omnipresent throughout the property and were the basis for the design of each villa.
“The site motivated itself,” explained the architect, Jeremy Millingen. “There was a natural cove and I wanted one of the houses to wrap around the cove and mirror the ripples of the water. The design of Promiseas 1 was organically driven from the shape of the cove.” As envisioned, Promiseas 1 gently curves around the crescent shaped bay, flowing from the house which sits behind an infinity edge pool with an expansive view of the sea, out to the large over water deck and seating area that has a waterfall streaming from beneath it. The house itself has a modern Caribbean design and is filled with unique architectural features, such as a curved shingle roof and an arched mirrored entrance ceiling that come together to bring elements of the cove and sea into the built space.
On the other hand, Promiseas 2 has a modern design that was inspired by a large Cedar tree on the property. “One of the main directives of the client was to keep as many of the original trees as possible,” said Millingen. “As such, Promiseas 2 was literally built around a tree in an atrium in the middle of the villa.” In keeping with the tree theme, Promiseas 2 has a third floor that is designed to feel like a modern tree house, complete with an expansive roof deck with a bird’s-eye view of the garden and sea, as well as rope bridges that lead to the gym and a bird watching perch. In addition to the tree house, Promiseas 2 has other playful and fun features such as a bar with swing seats, an oversized pool and deck with a sunken seating area, and a man-made cave with a bar and hot tub that looks out over the sea.
The theme of wood and water is continued in all aspects of the villas’ design and décor. A variety of local woods have been used throughout the house from Blue Mahoe ceilings, doors and floors and Spanish Elm windows to the massive Guango tree entrance doors of Promiseas 2 and the driftwood bedhead, bedside tables and bathroom room vanity in a bedroom in Promiseas 1. There are wood features to be found everywhere, including in unexpected spaces such as in lighting fixtures and in the indoor and outdoor shower walls and floors. Each bedroom and en-suite bathroom of the villas has a unique theme, inspired by creative uses of different types of
